Electric-lamp fixture and switch



(No Model.)

L. W. DILLON.

BLEGTRIG LAMP FIXTURE AND SWITCH.

No. 399,134. Patented Mal. 5, i889. fifi,

,af III I I I I I IIIIIIIIIIIH lllllllll` IllllIIlI/II! "Ilma f A" l'Illlllfrl y! 3mm l 1;/ l hl jay@ 7b UNITED STATES PATENT @unici-3,

LOUIS DILLON, OF NORTH A'l'lLEBOROUGli, ASSIGNOR Ol? ONE-HALF TO HOMER M. DAGGT, JR., OF A'lTLEBOROUGl-l, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC-LAMP FlXTURE AND Svi/l'l'Cl-li SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,134, dated March 5, 1889.

Application filed ,august '7, 1888. Serial No. 282,190. (No model,"

.To aZ wiz/om z' may concern: spring is that the pointot connection between Be it known that i, LOUIS W'. DILLON, of the spring and the switch moves concentric- North Attleborough, county of Bristol, State Ially with the switch-pivot, but not with the of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvespring-pivot, in such manner that the spring 55 5 ment in Electric-Lamp Fixtures and Switches, is strained in passing from either extreme poof which the followingdescription, in connecsition of the switch toward its intermediate tion with the accompanying' drawings, is a position, and consequently acts by its elastic specification, like letters on the drawings repforce to move the switch from the intermedi- :resenting like parts. ate position to either of its extreme positions. 6o Io My invention relates to an electric-lamp x- In other Words, the switch when in an intertnre adapted to be supported on the ceiling of mediate position is in a condition of unstable a room or in other locality not of easy access, equilibrium under the force of the spring, and the said fixture being provided with a switch it moved slightly beyond said intermediate for controlling the circuit of the lamp, which position Will be carried by the spring sud- 65 15 switch is arranged to be operated from apoint denly and quickly to its extreme position, so some distance from it, and is so constructed that if in opening the switch it is positively as to complete its movement automatically moved by the operator beyond the intermefrom the open to the closed position, or the diate position its movement will be completed reverse, so that it is impossible to leave the and the switch ylett wholly open; but if the 7o 2o switch in the position to make an imperfect operator should fail to carry it to the intercontact, thus endangering' the destruction of mediate position it would be promptly rea greater or less portion of the apparatus by turned into engagement with the anvil-piece 'the heat produced by the resistance t0 the and make perfect contact therewith, and itis current of an imperfect contact. Aswitch of impossible to leave it in a position near to this kind is especially useful for controlling but not making perfect contact with its anvila circuit supplied by a current of high potenpiece. tialsuch as employed for operating incan- Figure l is a side elevation Aof a lamp-fix descent lamps arranged in series or for are ture and switch embodying this invention; lamps-the fixture being shown in this in- 2, a plan view of the base portion oi the 8o 3o ,stance as provided with an incandescent lamp. fixture, as seen looking upward toward the The fixture comprises a base of Wood or base portion when in its usual position on the other insulating material provided with bindceiling ot' a room, with the parts below the ing-posts or connectors for the current-supswitch removed; Fig. 3, a plan view of the plying conductors and with a switch controlother side of the base portion; Fig. 4, a sec- S 5 ling adirect connectionbetwcen the said bindtional detail on line fr, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5, a ing-posts. The base is also provided with a sectional detail of theswitcli and its anviltubular shank or stem, which may be of piece.` Wrought-iron pipe, and supports at its extrem- The operative parts are supported on a base, ityalamp-socket of usualconst-ruction, adapta, which may be of Wood or other insulating 9o 4o ed to receive an incandescent lamp in the material, and is adapted to be fastened on the usual manner, The movable member of said ceiling oi. a room or upon other suitable supsvvitch consists of apivoted arm having an port, being usually placed in the position angular movement on its pivot between two shown in Fig, l. Upon the base a are secured stops, one of which constitutes an anvil orcothe usual binding-posts, b ZJ', with which the 9 5 45 operating contact-member for the switch-arm, current-supplying conductors are connected which is acted upon by a spring connected in the usual manner. The said base has fast- With said arm in advance of its pivot, and also cned upon it a metallic socket, c, which is connected with a pivot at the rear ot the countersunk below the surface ot' the base d, switch-pivot and in iine Wit-h the switch when that is fastened to the ceiling or wall, and is ico 5o in an intermediate position between the two provided with a groove, c', in line with the stops. The result of this arrangcmentof the groove o. in the said base, extending to the inner ends of the binding-posts Z) b', so as to receive conducting-wires 2 3, that extend from.

said binding-posts to the lamp-socket. The piece c has a tubular port-ion, c2, extending 5 through the base a and provided with an internal thread in which is secured a tubular shank'or stem, d, which may be of wroughtiron pipe, and has fastened upon its lower end a lamp-socket, e, (see Fig. 1,) to receive an in- 1o candescent lamp, f, of usual construction, in

the usual manner. The wires 2 3 are provided with insulating-coverings and extend down through the tube d, as shown in Fig. 4, to suitable terminals in the lamp-socket e, and when the .lamp is applied thereto connect with the ends of the lamp-filament, thus placing the saine in circuit between the bindingposts b b.

Then an apparatus of the kind thus far 2o described is arranged in series with other lamps, the lamp f must be extinguished without opening the circuit, in order to leave the other lalnps inthe circuit in operation, and this is effected by making a direct connection of substantially inapprcciable resistance between the binding-posts b b', while opening such connection or shunt for the lamp will cause the entire curreni to pass through the lamp and set itin operation. Such a shunt for 3o the lamp and means for opening and closing the same are shown as consisting of a switch, g, pivoted at g on the base ci, and connected by wire at with one of the binding-posts, as b, the said switch eo-operating with an anvil or contact piece, 7i, also fastened upon the'base a., and connected by wire 5 with the other binding-post, Zi. The anvil or contact piece 71,. also constitutes a stop that limits the movement of the switch-arm g on its pivot in one 4o direction, and there is a corresponding stop,

fz', that limits its movement in the other direction, said stop 'L' being supported on the base ay and insulated from the circuit-wires.

It necessary for the safe operation of apparatus working with currents of high potential that a switch should make perfect contact when closed, and its members should be perfectly separated when open, and in order to insure such operation the switch-arm g is, 5o in accordance with the present invention, acted upon by a spring, 7u, connected at one end with the said switch .at 7u in front of its pivot g', and having its other end conn'eeted directly or indirectly with a pivot, ou, at the rear of the pivot Q of the switch g, and substantiallyin line with said switch when in intermediate position between its stops 71j i', so that the said springI is strained in the movement of the switch from either stop toward 6o the intermediate position, as will be readily understood from Fig. 2, and consequently tends by its elastic force to throw the switch from the intermediate position in either direction. lf, therefore, the switch g is moved a slight distance in either direction from its intermediate position, the spring will automatically throw it promptlyT the entire distance until it is arrested by the stop on the side toward which it is moved, and it is impossible to leave the switch near to its co-operating contact h or resting lightly aga-inst it, as the spring would always move it-'from such position into complete and perfect contact so that in effect the cord is the same as two separate cords each fastened at its end to the switch-arm.

leys h i" (shown in this instance as connected wit-h thc stops 7i i) for the -switch-arm, and extend therefrom to any point accessible to the operator, who by pulling on the cord n will open the switch, and thus throw the light into operation, or by pulling on the cord nwill close the switch and extinguish thelight, and, as before described, the spring k will automatically complete the movement of vthe switch in either direction after it has been moved bythe cord to and slightlybeyond the intermediate position, so that the operation of making the contact at the switch is automatic and does not depend upon the manipulation ot the operator.

ln order to bring the pivots of the switch g and its actuating-spring in proper position with relation to one another, in conjunction with a convenient arrangement of the parts on the base a, as shown in Fig. 2, the axial -line of said spring must pass across the lampsupporting tube d in the movement ofthe switch, and in order to provide for the movement of the spring it is connected with its pivot m by means of an arin, p, having an opening, p', through which the tube passes, of sufficient length to admit of the required angular movement of the said arm and spring, as shown in Fig. 2. The tube d and operative The said cords n fn extend from the switch-arm at each side and'pass over pul- IOO IIO

parts near the base thereof are shown as inf closed in an ornamental cover or shell, t t', the latter portion having an opening, t?, to accommodatc the movement of the switch within it, the end of said switch and its operating-cord being outside the said shell.

I claiml. The combination of a lamp-'fixture comprising a base and lainp-supportin g shank fastened thereon, with a switch pivoted on said base and provided with stops, limiting its movement in either direction, a spring connected at one end with said switch in advance of its pivot, and the arm connected with the other end of said spring and pivoted on said base at the other side of the shank :from the switch-pivot, and provided with an opening through which said shank passes, and operat-l ing-cords connected with said switch, and puswitch-pivot, and provided with nu opening lays therefor on the base of the lamp-fixture, through which the said shank passes, sub- Subsmntally as described. l stnntially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the base and lmnp- I In testimony whereof I have signed my name 5 supporting shank extending therefrom, with l to this specification inhepresenee of two sub- 15 a switch pivoted on said base at one side of l seribng witnesses.

said shank, a spring connected with said LOUIS XV. DILLON.

switch n advance of its pivot, and the arm 'itnesses: connected with said sp1-ing pivoted on said JOS. P. LIVERMORE, 1o base at the other side of the shank from the M. E, HILL. 

